Knights’ right defense: Standouts lead strong group
Change may be coming to the Golden Knights’ blue line this season.
Not having Dylan Coghlan will be one adjustment. Another will be the shift to new coach Bruce Cassidy’s style of play.
Previous coach Pete DeBoer encouraged defensemen to join the rush and contribute offensively. The Knights ranked second in points among defensemen in 2021 and 12th last season.
Cassidy’s Boston Bruins did not play the same way. They were elite defensively, but the blue line was above average in points only once in his five full seasons there.
The potential difference in style would be felt the most on the right side where Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore play. Here’s a look at the Knights’ depth chart there:
Alex Pietrangelo
Pietrangelo took on a heavy burden for the Knights last season thanks to their injury woes.
He led the team in ice time per game at 24:39 while cycling through partners. Pietrangelo was part of the Knights’ most-used pair at five-on-five (with Nic Hague) and the third most-used (with Ben Hutton). He was doing it all and playing with everyone.
The 32-year-old was still named an All-Star for the fourth time but asking less of him could bring out more. Once defenseman Alec Martinez returned, Pietrangelo averaged a reduced 22:36 of ice time the Knights’ last 15 games. He was plus-7 at five-on-five in that span, which led the team.
Shea Theodore
Theodore possesses gifts few defensemen have.
His skating is outstanding. His hands are incredible. He’s a premier talent who carried the Knights late in the season with his offensive production. Theodore scored six goals, including four game-winners, their final 15 games to cap off a career-best 14-goal, 52-point season.
The 27-year-old showed growth on defense as well. He and partner Brayden McNabb often took on more difficult matchups with all the injuries that hit the Knights’ blue line. If Theodore performs well in those spots again, he has a chance to put himself in the Norris Trophy conversation.
Zach Whitecloud
Whitecloud is one of the Knights’ most reliable players.
The 25-year-old has great smarts and awareness. He reads plays well, gets in the right spots defensively and can pass his way out of pressure. It’s why he was a team-best plus-15 at five-on-five last season.
His dependability earned him a six-year, $16.5 million extension Oct. 28 that already looks smart. If Whitecloud can provide any offense at all — and he scored a career-high eight goals and 19 points last season — his $2.75 million cap hit will look like a bargain.
The prospects
A depth spot opened up when Coghlan was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes this offseason.
Kaedan Korczak appears likely to get the first crack at it after a standout development camp. The 2019 second-round pick could move to the front of the line for a call-up if he performs well this preseason.
Daniil Miromanov will be another option once he gets healthy. The 25-year-old appeared in 11 games last season but is expected to miss training camp after an unspecified offseason surgery.
Silver Knights captain Brayden Pachal will also be in the mix after playing two NHL games last year. He signed a one-year, $750,000 extension with the organization July 28.
2022-23 outlook: This is possibly the strongest position group the Knights have if they adjust to Cassidy’s system.
Pietrangelo and Theodore are both high-end defensemen, and Whitecloud is emerging as a standout in his own right. Losing Coghlan hurts the Knights’ depth, but young players are available as fill-ins. Korczak in particular has a chance to become a strong defender and penalty killer.
This position could also be set for a while. Pietrangelo has five years left on his contract, while Theodore has three and Whitecloud six.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.